Africa global
A study of African art history indicates the earliest sculpture forms found come from Nigeria and are dated around 500BC. Africa had functional and utilitarian craft along with textiles, fetishes, idols and cultural artifacts. Within their own communities they were valued for everything that their African craft represented which was not just visual; their symbolism and spiritual dimensions alongside their decorative and aesthetic qualities. Master craftsmen and women had special status within societies and were respected members of their communities. Expertise and traditional skills were revered and coveted.